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Everyone knows how important it is to have the right pair of shoes. For ladies, it’s often finding a comfortable pair that can be worn all night and will go with multiple outfits. For men, it’s about finding shoes that they can wear from casual situations to dressy events without getting a judgmental stare down. Fitness is no exception. The shoes you choose are imperative to your work out. Let’s break down the essence of each tennis shoe…

RUNNING

Running is most often moving forward in one direction, so running shoes are designed to do just that. These are not the shoes you want to wear in a pick-up basketball game or another work out that could require more support.

TRAIL

These shoes are purchased by those who typically enjoy outdoor work outs; hiking, walking or running on trails that require a shoe with some traction.

CROSS TRAINING

This will be the most cost-effective tennis shoe you can purchase. These are designed for those with work out routines that change direction, involve different sports, and other various exercises. DISCLAIMER: Cross trainers do not have the right support for running though, so make sure to purchase a running tennis shoe if that is your main work out.

Hopefully now you feel more informed and can make the right tennis shoe work for you and your workout!

Like many of you, I want this to be a new year, for new beginnings, and with new goals. It’s time to turn over a new leaf. I’m sick of thinking these things and not actually doing them! We are aware that most people searching for “work out” content are more like me (someone with good intentions but an affinity for fried food and couch sitting), which makes a work out schedule hard to stick with. So, allow me to introduce a New Year’s resolution option that doesn’t require you biting off more than you can chew!

At the beginning of every month, I will start a new 30-day work out schedule, and I will post it here. In the past I’ve made resolutions like “I’ll go for a run twice a week” and much to my dismay, even this became hard to follow. What’s great about these 30-day work out schedules is how simple they are to follow. Print out the sheets, find 5 minutes in your day to complete your work out, and then cross out the day. I know that sounds too easy, but that’s just what it is. Together, we can do this. Ready? Print yours and let’s start off 2014 with a work out schedule we can both commit to.

As you get started to being your workout and diet plan, you’re likely taking quite a bit of time to make sure everything is in check.

You’re getting your meal plans together, you’re figuring out exactly what exercises you want to be doing in each workout you complete, and you’re figuring out where cardio is going to come into play for you.

But, one area that many people completely neglect is journaling. Journaling is a great tool to not only improve the progress you see, but also help to boost your motivation to continue.

In order to make sure that your journal is as useful as possible to you however, there are some important points that you must be doing as you go about the process.

Let’s look at what you should know.

Track All The Details Of Your Workout

The very first thing that you need to be doing with your journal if you’re going to be using it for workout tracking purposes is to make sure that you list out all the details of your workout session.

Some people only go half way with this and it will hinder how useful that journal is going to be for them.

Track everything – the reps, the sets, the rest between sets, the weight lifted, as well as how you felt during the workout session.

Some people will go so far as to also track things like how well they slept the night before as well as what they ate before the workout also.

Doing so will help give you a very complete picture of all things that could be influencing your performance in that workout so that you can look back and if you notice one is much poorer than the rest, you can clearly see why.

When you have all these details listed however, it then becomes much more easy to look back over it during your next session and make sure that you are doing something in that workout to improve upon the last.

The whole process of progress is pushing the body one step further, so it’s a must that you are going to be doing this.

While it does take a bit of time during the workout to be tracking all these details, that time is going to be well worth it.

List Your Emotions And Thoughts Before Eating

The second way to use your journal to ensure it helps you see optimal success is to use it as an emotions journal as well around meal times.

Many people do suffer from emotional eating and unless you learn how to cope with this, you are never going to see the results that you’re looking for. The first step to handling emotional eating however is realizing the emotions that are at play when you are eating for reasons other than hunger, so this is where that journal comes in helpful.

To do this, take five minutes before you eat – regardless of when you are eating, and force yourself to write in that journal for five minutes straight.

If you have to, repeat the same line over and over again. You may just be surprised at what all comes out when you do this.

By having these emotions and thoughts out on paper, you can better assess a more constructive way to deal with them so that they don’t keep recurring again and again.

Write Down Your Measurements

When most people track their progress, they do so by writing down how much they weigh. While going by bodyweight is one method of seeing how successful you are, it’s not the most ideal one.

Remember that your body weight can easily fluctuate on a day to day basis, so if you are getting too caught up over this, it could really be detrimental to your long-term progress.

Taking measurements however is a much more secure way of assessing progress and will better account if you are losing body fat as well.

In some cases if you are building lean muscle mass, you may actually see your body weight go up, so this could harm your belief in your progress.

But if you are gaining muscle but losing fat, your weight may go up but your measurements will go down, so this will help you feel more satisfied with the results that you’re seeing and stay the course on your overall program plan.

It’s very likely at the start of a new workout to build a bit of lean muscle mass and for many people, this jump in the scale causes them to abandon the program altogether.

Look Back Once A Week

Finally, in order to make sure that you get results from your journaling efforts, be sure to look back over it once per week.

Evaluate how you did, what kind of results you saw, and anything that you might do differently in the week to come.

This ongoing adjustment process is what will ensure that you don’t hit a progress plateau at any point along the way, which can quickly get very frustrating.

Those who aren’t seeing results but then just stay the course, doing the same thing over and over again but hoping that something different will come about are going to be extremely demotivated when change doesn’t occur.

If it’s not working, change it.

Ongoing change in a program is one of the best methods to keep yourself increasing your fitness level, dropping body fat, and having more fun in the process as well.

Looking back and reviewing once per week takes ten minutes but will have a dramatic influence over your success.

So there you have the most important factors to remember with regards to using a journal to see a faster rate of progress with your program. A journal can be used in so many different ways, so think about how it might serve you best and then put it into action in your own approach.

Dieting to see faster fat loss success? If so, there is one thing you are likely going to be dealing with at some point or another and that thing is hunger.

Whenever you reduce your calorie intake down lower than what your body is used to receiving, there is going to be some backlash from it because of this. But if you are set on burning up body fat, this is something that you are going to have to come to deal with.

There’s no other way to create the fat loss results you’re going for other than to reduce your calorie intake (despite what some supplement companies may claim!), so rather than trying to avoid it, focus on trying to effectively deal with it.

Fortunately, if you know a few smart tips, you can more easily combat hunger and stay the course.

Let’s have a brief look at the most important things that you need to be doing so that you can say so-long to those nagging hunger pains.

Fill Up On Vegetables

You’ve likely heard it before but it needs to be restated here again as it is one of the top tips to remember if you want to combat hunger effectively: fill up as much as possible on vegetables.

Vegetables are virtually calorie free, which is why they are such a great option for those who are struggling to keep hunger in check but still want to see the same fast rate of weight loss progress.

Plus, they are incredibly high in nutrients as well, so by eating even more than normal, you’re actually doing yourself a favor.

There is virtually no limit as to how many vegetables you can eat as long as you aren’t adding any high calorie sauces or condiments. Trying to gain weight eating broccoli will be mission impossible simply because you will become way too full before you rack up any significant calories.

Sip Hot Tea

Next, another fast and easy tip to help soothe those hunger pains is to sip on some hot tea. The nice thing about this is that it will help to hydrate you and keep you feeling warmer. Dieting does tend to cause a reduction in basal body temperature, so it is more likely to feel cold on your diet plan.

And, when you do feel cold, you’re going to notice hunger more, so this one kills two birds with one stone.

Choose green tea for bonus points as this tea variety will also raise your metabolic rate slightly, so can further enhance the process of fat loss. It’s a win-win.

Chew Gum

In some cases, it’s not really hunger you are actually feeling but rather the desire to have something in your mouth.

In this situation, try popping a stick of gum. Chewing on the gum will give your mouth something to do so you’re less likely to eat because of this and will also help to keep you distracted a bit better of that hunger you are feeling if it is actually present.

If you choose to use peppermint gum, this one can actually have appetite reducing properties as well, so you may find you get even better results from going this route.

Do The Water Test

One test that you should try next time you feel hunger pains coming on is the water test.

Some people do mistake thirst for simple dehydration, so hydrating yourself can instantly help calm those hunger pains in a hurry.

For this, simply drink one tall glass of water and wait ten minutes. See if the hunger pains go away.

In many cases they will and you will have side-stepped eating something that you shouldn’t have.

If they don’t, then you can look at another constructive way to deal with them.

Consider Lower Carb Dieting

If you find that you are just a hungry person overall and that hunger is always an issue for you, you could be a very good candidate for low carb dieting.

Taking things down to the ketogenic level, where you force your body to run off an alternative fuel source other than glucose (ketone bodies) has very strong appetite reducing properties to it.

For some people, this can really come in and save the day in preventing them from eating foods they shouldn’t.

While low carb dieting isn’t the best way to go for everyone, it definitely does help you experience less hunger while on the diet, so can be beneficial in this regard.

Avoid Triggers

Another must-do if you are dealing with hunger is to avoid any triggers that set you off to want to eat. For example, for some people all they need to do to feel hunger is notice that it’s near noon. For them, the psychological notification that it’s lunch time instantly causes hunger to occur.

For others, it’s seeing food. If they walk into a bakery, it’s a downward spiral for them.

Learning what your triggers are in this regard and then doing what you can to avoid them as best as possible will help ensure they don’t set you back.

Some are going to be unavoidable, but if you can at least be aware of what they are, you can help position yourself better to mentally combat them.

So there you have some of the top ways that you can manage hunger better as you progress along with your fat loss diet plan. Keep in mind that in most cases it’s impossible to completely eliminate hunger altogether, so you will always experience some to a small degree, but it should never be too much to handle.

If it is, your diet may not be set up properly as it should, so you may want to look into whether or not changes need to be made there so that you can better get yourself on track to success and actually enjoy the process while you’re at it (or at least tolerate it!).

Looking to get ripped in a hurry? Or maybe you just want to lose ten pounds and start feeling better about yourself.

Whatever the case may be, one thing is certain and that is that you are looking for the fastest and most effective manner to be burning up body fat.

You have your diet in check and your workout ready to roll, so now all that’s left is figuring out your supplementation.

Unfortunately many people put far too much emphasis on supplementation and end up falling for a number of hyped up products out there that are not going to produce the lasting results they’re after. In fact, some may just put them in harm’s way.

Clever marketing professionals know precisely what to say to peek your interest and get you wanting to try their product.

But, unless you have a very firm idea of which supplements work and which will just lead you astray, you may find yourself regretting your purchasing decisions.

Let’s walk you through the top supplements that can help you lose body fat so you know where to spend your hard earned dollars.

Caffeine

The first supplement that you will want to consider is caffeine. Simple as it may sound, this one will work.

The reason caffeine is beneficial for fat loss is first because of the fact that it does have appetite suppressing properties. If you’re on an intense diet plan, hunger is likely something that you are dealing with at one point or another. Caffeine can help you side step that.

Second, caffeine is also going to help to increase the rate of fat burning enzymes burning up body fat. This further augments the process of fat loss, increasing your results.

And finally, it gives you a much needed energy boost. If you’ve been dieting for a few weeks, you already realize that it can have quite the drain on your energy levels.

A hit of caffeine can give you the pick me up you need and keep you as active as you ideally should be.

Whey Protein Powder

The second of the supplements that you’ll want to consider is a quality whey protein powder. Whey protein powder is going to help you meet your protein requirements, which will be elevated when doing a fat loss diet plan, and help make sure that you keep your metabolism strong and your muscle mass tissue intact.

Most people simply don’t have time to be grilling up chicken breasts six times per day so for those snacks between main meals, a protein powder comes I very helpful.

Just be sure that you are choosing one that contains minimal grams of both fat and carbs to keep the overall calorie level down.

Nitric Oxide

Nitric oxide is another supplement to consider. Now, this one isn’t a traditional ‘fat loss’ product – in fact, more people often use it for muscle building.

But it can help the fat loss crowd as well.

First, nitric oxide is going to increase the energy levels you have during the workout and help to reduce fatigue. Fatigue is going to be higher when in calorie deficit, so this is important to pay attention to.

Second, nitric oxide can also help to speed up the recovery process because with more blood flowing to and from the muscle cells, this means they will receive more oxygen and nutrients, both of which are required for tissue repair and rebuilding.

Glutamine

Speaking of repair and rebuilding, that brings us to the next supplement that you will want to be taking into account, glutamine.

Glutamine is a particular amino acid that is going to play a key role in the immune system. When you are currently dieting your immune system is already going to be in a slightly stressed out state and then if you add intense workouts on top of that, you could be really asking for some trouble.

Glutamine will help you recover faster after each workout session that you do, ensuring that you can enter the gym again feeling your best each and every day.

While this supplement doesn’t necessarily sound all that ‘sexy’ per say, it can make a big difference on how you feel on your diet plan on a day to day basis and this can then influence the degree in which you stick with it.

Remember, sticking with your diet is by far the most important determinant of seeing success.

Fish Oil

Fish oil is the next product that you’ll want to make sure that you have in place. Since your dietary fat intake will likely come down when on a fat loss diet, you want to make sure that you aren’t falling deficient in essential fatty acids.

Adding 3-6 grams of fish oil per day will give you the peace of mind of knowing that you are definitely getting enough and this important form of fat will help to boost insulin sensitivity, helping you get and stay leaner.

It also has a number of other positive benefits for the body as far as disease prevention and overall well-being go, so again, one product you want to be sure you are taking in.

Green Tea Extract

Finally, the last of the products to consider as you start up on your fat loss program is green tea extract. Some people will simply choose to drink green tea and that’s fine as well, but if you prefer not to then the extract can also help.

Using this extract is going to help you boost your metabolic rate higher, enabling you to burn fat faster than you otherwise would.

It also has disease reducing properties as well, so is a smart choice for those looking to ensure optimal health.

So keep these supplements in mind as you go about your fat loss diet plan. Adding them in could give you that extra edge that you’re looking for to take your results one step further.

Looking to get six pack abs? If so, you aren’t alone. One of the hottest goals of anyone who’s going to the gym is to get that firm, flat stomach look that they can feel proud of.

Yet, very few people actually ever achieve the success they’re looking for with this goal. So why is it that some people seem to get six pack abs more easily than others?

Apart from the few who are just genetically blessed (and how we love to hate them!), these individuals know a few of the key tips that must be remember at all times. Because they are structuring their approach slightly differently, they can see faster overall progress.

Let’s go over what these people know so that you too can be a part of the insider’s circle.

Diet, Diet, Diet

The very first thing that you absolutely must know if you want to get six pack ab success is that it’s going to be about diet, diet, diet.

Now, most people absolutely hate hearing this as let’s face the facts, dieting can be a real challenge, but if you want to get results, you need to come to terms with this.

The faster that you can accept that you are going to have to give up some of those favorite comfort foods you love so much, the faster you will get on to seeing the results you’re going for.

Diet is going to be key as this is what will accelerate the fat burning process in the body, ensuring that you are creating the calorie deficit you need to be.

Your diet in order to get six pack abs should be highly focused around lean proteins, plenty of fresh vegetables, a moderate amount of healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates timed right before and after your session.

If you can structure your diet like this day in and day out, you will be on track to seeing faster results.

Stop With The Ab Exercises

Moving along, the next thing that you need to do is ditch the ab crunches already. If you’ve spent countless hours of your life already doing crunch after crunch after crunch, you must stop and ask yourself, where is this really getting you?

If crunches worked to get six pack abs, you should have a full-on ripped 8 pack by now.

They clearly don’t, so don’t waste any more time on them.

Remember that you cannot spot reduce body fat. You will lose body fat from all areas of your body, so instead of focusing on crunches, which burn so few calories per minute, concentrate on exercises that have a higher calorie burn to enhance overall fat loss.

Lift Heavier Weights

Speaking of exercises, when doing your weight training workouts, make absolutely sure that you are lifting heavier weights. This is where so many people go wrong.

They think ‘fat loss’ and immediately lighten their load and start pumping out rep after rep after rep.

A set of 20+ reps is not going to be challenging your body in the same manner a set of 8 reps at a heavy weight will.

Heavier weights are going to stimulate a much better metabolic response, which means you will continue to burn calories at a faster speed for the 48 hours following the session.

Light weight training may cause you to burn up lean muscle mass when dieting if you aren’t careful, so it’s really not the best way to go.

Don’t Take Sleep Lightly

The next must-do for success is to make sure that you are taking your sleep needs very seriously. If you aren’t sleeping enough while trying to lose body fat, you’re going to have a higher release of cortisol in the body, which can mean you add more abdominal belly fat.

In addition to this, you will find yourself far hungrier throughout the day, which can make sticking with your diet feel next to impossible.

Plus, not only will your hunger be higher on days you aren’t sleeping enough, but your resolve to eat well will be lower as well.

You’ll feel tired, fed up, and like you just don’t have it in you to say no to that cookie yet again. If this causes you to eat foods you shouldn’t be, that will most definitely impact the progress you are making.

Remove As Much Stress As Possible

Another lifestyle factor that can influence whether or not you are going to be seeing six pack abs any time in the near future is your stress level.

When you are highly stressed, your body is also going to be releasing more cortisol than normal and this will cause lean muscle mass tissue breakdown as well as cause you to store more fat in the central region as well.

Plus, if you stress-eat, then you know very well that is not going to be doing you any favors.

Stress can really zap your progress when working towards being able to see six pack abs, so you must do what you can to control it.

Practice smart stress management techniques and you will be noticing a difference.

Go For Dairy

Finally, last but not least, as a bonus tip, make sure that you include a few servings of dairy each day. As long as you don’t suffer from lactose intolerance, dairy rich foods chosen correctly can speed up fat loss from the abdominal region.

Note that you cannot get the same effects from eating other protein foods and taking a calcium supplement. Dairy seems to provide a slight added advantage here.

Opt for low-fat Greek yogurt, skim milk, or low fat cottage cheese.

So there you have the top tips to remember in your quest to get six pack abs once and for all. It can be a hard process to obtain this goal as it does take getting down to a low body fat level, but if you stay committed and use these tips, you should be able to see great success.

When planning a workout program, you’ve likely heard time and time again that focusing on compound movements is going to be key.

Squats, deadlifts, shoulder presses, bench presses, lunges, bent over rows, pull-ups, and so on – all of these will enhance both your physical appearance as well as your strength level.

This said, one cannot overlook the core muscles. While doing crunch after crunch on the ab mat isn’t the best way to get six pack abs fast as that it is going to be more of a function of your body fat levels, you can’t neglect strengthening the core as this will be important for performance on all the other exercises you’re doing as well as to help prevent injuries.

While the core muscles will be worked during those compound movements as they will be required for stabilization purposes, you can deepen the strengthening benefits you receive.

Let’s take a quick peek at the top core moves that you can be including in your workout program plan.

Plank

The very first exercise that you should be considering doing is the plank. The plank is a primary movement that will hit all the muscles running up and down the core while also slightly strengthening the upper body muscles as well.

This is an isometric contraction movement, so one that’s going to be slightly different than many of the other core movements you’re doing due to the fact that you will be required to maintain that position for an extended period of time.

With most abdominal movements, you’ll be doing a dynamic movement pattern, which will have you constantly moving throughout the exercise.

The plank is also nice because there are a number of variations that can be done to increase the intensity.

Apart from the standard plank, you can also do a plank on one leg by lifting one leg up off the ground and holding in that position. This decreases your base of support, so makes the muscles work that much harder.

The second way to boost the intensity is going to be to place either the feet or the hands up on an exercise ball. Since you now will have this instable surface underneath you, that will really get your core muscles contracting hard.

You will definitely notice the challenge difference when going with this variation, so do anticipate it. It’s one of the most advanced abdominal moves you can do.

When doing the plank, just be sure that you don’t allow the body to rise up or lower down from parallel at any point as that will place extreme stress on the lower back vertebrae.

Weighted Decline Sit-Up

Moving along, the second exercise to be considering to strengthen the core is the weighted decline sit-up. The decline sit-up is already going to be placing more strain on the core muscles due to the fact you’ll be working against gravity, but when you add the extra weight on them as well, this further intensifies it.

Hold a plate weight across the chest while doing this exercise and make sure that you move through the movement pattern slowly to keep maximum tension on the muscle tissues.

From there, if you want to add extra difficulty to the movement, consider adding a twist to the movement pattern as well. This will target the oblique muscles to a larger degree, giving you that ‘ripped’ up look on the side of the body if you are at a low enough body fat level.

Most men will want to use weights for this exercise, however females may prefer just to use body weight instead as adding the extern weight could slightly increase the size of the muscle fibers in the core, creating a thicker look to the mid-section.

Prone Ball Roll-In

Next up we have the prone ball roll-in. This is another unique exercise because it takes you away from the typical crunching movement patter and has you face down to the ground.

For this one, you’ll place your feet up on an exercise ball with the hands supporting your body underneath you, the body in a flat position.

From there, once you’re fully balanced, you’ll roll the ball directly into the stomach until you’re as far as you can go (the knees will be next to the chest at this point), you’ll pause in this position, and then you’ll roll the ball back outwards again to complete the rep.

This exercise requires a high amount of balance and agility as well, so great for overall conditioning purposes.

Lying Leg Raise

Finally, the last of the core movements that you’ll want to consider including in your workout routine is the lying leg raise.

This movement is going to be really great for targeting the lower abdominal muscles to a higher degree and will build up your muscular endurance as well.

To do this one, you’ll simply lie flat down on the floor and keeping the lower back pressed into the floor as best as possible, you’ll lift the legs upwards until they’ve reached 90 degrees.

From there, lower back down in a slow and controlled movement pattern until they’re almost touching the ground but not quite. It’s important not to let them drop to the floor as keeping them hovering above the ground is what helps you maintain optimal tension on the core muscles.

From there, lift them back upwards to complete the next rep.

One variation of this exercise that brings about more challenge is to start forming a circle with the legs as you complete this exercise. That will target the obliques to a higher degree as well, so giving you a more total core workout.

So next time you are heading to the abdominal mat to perform your core workout, keep these exercises in mind. Doing one or two per workout is a great way to maintain a strong core, firm and flatten the abs if you’re also at a lower body fat level, and prevent injuries.

One of the absolute best ways to approach any fat loss goals that you may currently have set is to focus on boosting your metabolism up higher.

Far too many people strictly focus on what they can do to lower their calorie intake or up their physical activity level in the quest to create that calorie deficit require for fat loss to occur.

But as they do so, sticking with the program itself becomes that much harder. If you’re only eating 1100 calories per day and spending an hour in the gym six days a week doing cardio training, you have to ask yourself how long you’re really going to be able to stick with it.

Instead, a better approach is to focus on increasing your metabolic rate so that you naturally burn up more calories 24/7.

Let’s look at some of the fastest tips that you should be using that will enhance your calorie burning potential.

Eat More Protein

The easiest and one of the best ways to boost your metabolic rate is to simply eat more protein. Protein rich foods take a high amount of energy to digest and break down, so by eating more of them on a day to day basis, you can elevate your metabolic rate.

For every 100 calories of protein that you consume, you will burn up to 25 calories simply through the digestion process.

So essentially, you’re getting a 25% boost to your metabolism each and every time you eat protein rich foods.

Green tea is the next thing to consider if you want to boost your metabolic rate up higher. Green tea not only provides excellent antioxidant benefits, but it can also increase your metabolic rate significantly if you drink two or more cups daily for a period of time.

Green tea will also help to calm hunger pains as the hot liquid tends to soothe these feelings, so this is an excellent drink to have in your fat loss diet plan.

Green tea is available in a number of different fruit flavors right now, so there’s no reason you can’t find one that you enjoy.

Use Cayenne Pepper

Moving along, getting some cayenne pepper into your diet whenever you can is the next step to boosting your metabolic rate.

Cayenne pepper, along with chili peppers, have a specific compound named capsaicin, which will elevate the metabolic rate for a few hours after you consume it.

This adds a great deal of spice to your meals as well and most people will consume less food overall when the meal is spicier.

This particular compound is in many of the fat burning products out on the market available, so by using the spice, you can get the same results at a fraction of the cost.

Shorten Your Rest Periods

On the workout side of things, if you want to significantly boost your metabolic rate, you’ll want to focus on using as short of rest periods between your sets as possible.

As such though, make sure that this doesn’t cause you to decrease the total amount of weight that you’re lifting. While short rest periods are beneficial, they only are if you are sustaining the total weight lifted that you normally use.

Keep your rest periods to around 30-45 seconds between sets and keep the weight heavy. This will create the best overall metabolic workout session.

And, if you’re more advanced, consider adding in a few drop sets or supersets as this can take your metabolism one step up as well.

Do Interval Sprints

On the cardio side of things, a perfect way to boost your metabolism quickly is to perform interval training.

Interval training is great because not only is it shorter in terms of the time commitment you have to devote to doing, but the intense nature of the session will mean that you burn calories faster for up to 48 hours after the workout is completed.

Therefore, you can be burning fat while you sleep with this form of cardio session.

Interval sprints is also less likely to cause lean muscle mass loss compared to steady state cardio training (especially running), so that’s an added benefit that cannot be overlooked.

Sleep More

For those of you who are sacrificing on sleep regularly throughout the week because you are just too busy on a daily basis, you may want to rethink this strategy.

Not sleeping enough can have a negative influence on your metabolic rate and cause you to burn fewer calories than you otherwise would.

Furthermore, if you aren’t sleeping enough at night, you will experience more hunger throughout the day, so not only are you more likely to eat more, but you’ll have a slower metabolism to boot.

Finally, the last quick tip to remember if you want to boost your metabolic rate as high as possible is to consider taking a moderate dose of caffeine on a regular basis.

Caffeine is going to help to improve your total metabolic rate due to eh central nervous system stimulation it has and will also help to boost your energy level as well, which could mean you’re more active throughout the day.

Obviously you do need to consider how well your body tolerates caffeine and if you aren’t left feeling well, this won’t be an option for you, but if you do feel fine using 200 mg or so a day, it’s can make a positive addition to your fat loss results.

So there you have seven top methods to increase your metabolic rate so that the process of fat loss moves along more easily. Make sure that you aren’t overlooking any of these. They aren’t going to require all that many changes on your part, but do offer a high payoff.

As you go about your diet plan to lose shred body fat quickly, one thing that you’ve likely heard time and time again is that you should be avoiding all carbs as much as possible so that you can burn fat quickly and effectively.

As such, you could be banning all foods that have more than 5 grams of carbs per serving. You think you’re on the track to success.

But, are you really?

The fact of the matter is that carbohydrates are a good food to have in your diet plan because not only are they going to supply you with energy in which you can then complete your intense workouts with, but they are also going to ensure that your metabolic rate stays stronger (since carbohydrates most influence the basal metabolic rate and hormones associated with keeping it up), they are going to ensure you get sufficient dietary fiber, and they are going to ensure that you are meeting important nutrient requirements for vitamins and minerals.

The bad carbs are those that cause your blood glucose levels to skyrocket and you to struggle to control your hunger. Eat those and yes, you are going to be in for a hard road ahead.

Choose wisely however and carbohydrates can definitely be part of your plan for optimal success.

Let’s go over some of the best choices for your carbohydrate intake. Keep in mind that since all of these carbohydrates are the complex variety, you should be aiming to place them around the most active periods of the day such as your workout sessions and first thing in the morning.

Barley

The first carbohydrate that you’ll want to consider taking in is barley. Barley is very often overlooked because many people only think of barley in terms of being in a soup.

And while barley does work great in any soup you may be creating, it can work perfectly as a side dish as well. It has a nuttier flavor compared to some other grains, so can offer a unique taste that most people will really enjoy.

The really great thing about barley is that it offers a fantastic fiber content, so if you’re looking to lower your cholesterol levels and control blood glucose, it’s the grain to be turning to.

Quinoa

Next up on the list of great grains to be eating is quinoa. Quinoa is a complete source of protein, which separates it from many other grains out there.

This means it will be the perfect pick for any vegetarians out there who are looking to increase their overall protein consumption.

If you aren’t getting sufficient protein in your diet, it is definitely going to influence the long-term results that you see.

Furthermore, quinoa can stand in great for any dish that calls for brown rice, so feel free to use these two interchangeably.

Brown Rice

Speaking of brown rice, that brings us to our next grain. Brown rice is a much smarter choice than white rice as it is higher in fiber and far less refined.

Furthermore, brown rice will keep your blood glucose levels at a more stabilized level, ensuring that you stay feeling energized in the hours after you consume it.

Brown rice is relatively fast and easy to prepare and highly versatile so you can easily use it in any dish that you’re creating.

Oatmeal

For your breakfast grain, turn to oatmeal. Oatmeal is sugar free, which is perfect for those who are serious about losing body fat and is also going to provide you with a good dose of dietary fiber as well.

Just do be sure to purchase regular oatmeal and not the flavored varieties as those will have sugar so you’ll need to stay away from them.

Instead, flavor your oatmeal by adding some cinnamon, stirring in some protein powder, adding some natural peanut butter, or using unsweetened applesauce to create a taste breakfast bowl.

Many people also enjoy adding a few nuts and berries to oatmeal, which will boost its nutritional content as well.

Sweet Potatoes

Moving on, next on our list of fantastic carbohydrates to have in your fat loss plan is sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are ranked in lower on the GI index scale than regular potatoes so will keep your blood sugar levels more stable as well.

In addition to that, they’re also higher in vitamins and minerals, which will assist with keeping your body running optimally.

Many people really enjoy the sweet taste they have to offer compared to their regular potato counterparts, so this makes it a great choice for a snack at any point during the day as well.

Sweet potatoes can easily be prepared into pancakes, baked, steamed, or some will even make them into dessert recipes as well.

Bananas

Finally, if you have a sweet tooth that just won’t quit, go for a banana to satisfy your craving. Bananas are the fruit that does contain a higher starch component compared to fructose, which is a more simple form of sugar so will work best for fueling your muscles around a workout period.

Being that they are so high in potassium as well, this further makes them an excellent choice at this time.

Bananas are one of the most convenient carbohydrate sources that you could eat as well – as far as healthy choices go, so are perfect for those on the go.

So there you have the top carbohydrate choices that you should be considering adding to your diet plan. Always remember to maintain good portion control when serving these up in your diet as the calories will add up relatively fast and in order for you to maintain the desired rate of fat loss that you’re going for, it is going to be important that you are keeping your portion size in check.

Do that and you can easily eat these and still see fast and effective results on your weight loss pro

As you go about your workout program, one thing that you need to be constantly remembering is the importance of changing your workout around from time to time.

Far too many people go into the gym and do the exact same workout over and over and over again. While during the first few weeks, they may be seeing excellent results, as the workouts progress along, these results get slower and slower until they eventually come to a screeching halt.

If you’ve been doing your workout program for at least a few weeks now and are starting to feel more and more frustrated that you aren’t making the progress you thought you would, it’s time for a change.

But how do you create that change?

There are a wide number of ways that you can alter your workout program and see faster results.Let’s go over what some of these are so that you can start implementing them into your approach today.

Add More Weight

The first and most common way to change a workout around is to simply add more weight. This is one of the best methods as it’s clearly indicating that you are making strength progress and that is the end goal with most workout programs.

As you increase the weight on any exercise you do, keep in mind that this will often mean that you decrease the total reps that you perform.

It’s also a must that you maintain good form at all times as well, so keep that in mind. If the new weight causes you to lose good form, you are lifting too much weight.

Reduce Your Rest

The second way to alter your workout program and see faster results is to reduce your rest period. If you’re normally resting for 120 seconds between sets, knock this back to 60 seconds and see how you do.

The great thing about reducing your rest periods to create change is that you will get a stronger metabolic response from the workout session, so if one of your goals is fat loss, this is quite simply the best way to accomplish this.

Here again though, just be sure that you are maintaining a good level of weight on the bar as you do this. You don’t to use such a short rest period that you can’t sustain your heavy lifting and good form.

Superset Exercises

Supersetting exercise is yet another way to boost your metabolism and see faster results. By pairing to exercises back to back like that, you will get more of a post-workout calorie burn because you are forcing your body to do more work in less time.

Furthermore, supersetting is also a great way to bring about a higher fatigue state in the muscles, so can help to enhance lower body endurance.

There are plenty of different ways in which you can do a superset. You can superset an upper and lower body movement together, two movements for the same muscle group together, or two movements for opposing muscle groups.

Each will produce a positive benefit in the body.

Change Your Workout Split

If you feel like you need a much larger scale change in your workout program, you can change around your split entirely as well.

Rather than doing a full body workout program, try and upper/lower split instead. Of, if you’re doing an upper/lower split, you may want to try a push/pull/lower.

There are so many different ways that you can alter your workout program that you should never find yourself bored.

Keep in mind that your workout split does largely reflect your recovery ability and your workout goals, so just make sure whatever you choose to use is going to reflect those well.

Drop Set

A drop set is another great advanced technique to start using in your workout as you move along.

With a drop set, you’re going to perform one set as you normally would and then immediately after that drop the weight by five pounds.

Once that’s completed, you’ll perform one more set, drop the weight once more, and try for a third.

This principle is going to bring about a very high level of fatigue in that muscle group, so just be sure you have no further exercises planned for it.

Chances are you will be too tired to continue on beyond that point.

It’s also going to be imperative when doing a drop set that you aren’t losing good form as well, as this is quite common when fatigue starts rising.

Use The Pre-Fatigue Principle

Using the pre-fatigue principle is a great way to change your workout around if you’re finding that you’re stuck in a strength plateau and can’t quite get out.

With the pre-fatigue principle, you’re going to perform an exercise for one of the smaller muscle groups in the body, causing it to reach a state of fatigue before doing a compound exercise.

This way, it’s less able to assist during that compound exercise and all the force will be on the main muscle group that you’re trying to target.

The end result is that that muscle group will get stronger so when you go back to doing straight sets with the compound lift (and the assister muscle isn’t fatigued), you’ll be stronger.

Alter Your Positioning

Finally, last but not least, consider simply altering your position. This can be a fast and effective way to create change that won’t take much effort on your part.

For example, rather than doing a standard bench press, try a close grip or reverse grip bench press. Rather than doing a regular squat, try a sumo squat.

These little changes will influence how the stress is being placed on the muscle and often this is enough to evoke a greater progress stimulus.

So there you have some of the top ways to alter your workout and prevent a fitness plateau. Make sure you are doing something to change your workout around every couple of sessions to not only reduce boredom, but increase the results that you see.